Report: Santhal Pargana Raiyat Adhikar and Displacement Roko Hul Morcha Convention
Report
Santhal Pargana Raiyat Adhikar and Displacement Roko Hul Morcha Convention
Sido-Kanho Indoor Stadium, Dumka, August 11, 2024
a movement against displacement and increasing pollution
1. Context and Issue of mining in Santhal Pargana
Out of the 6 districts under the Santhal Pargana division of Jharkhand, 4 districts and two blocks of one district Godda completely come under the 5th Schedule of the Constitution. Even before the first freedom struggle of the country, in the year 1855-56, the people of all the exploited communities living here had blown the trumpet of the peasant revolt called Santhal Hul against British imperialism. This Santhal Hul had decided the role of the freedom struggle in history.
The question of land is a major issue in this region because Indian and foreign companies and corporate houses have their eyes on the mineral wealth here. Modi government has allocated coal blocks for coal mining to government and private companies through auction of coal blocks. These companies are flouting the Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act made to protect the land of the tribals and other poor people here and by bypassing the Gram Sabha, they are continuing to loot the land of the farmers through local brokers. In the villages located near Pachwada coal block of Amar Pada, there is so much terror of these brokers that the common tribal farmers do not even open their mouths against the company. On the other hand, the company ECL of the public sector enterprise Coal India has also handed over the work of coal mining to the notorious outsourcing companies which neither care about the interests of the workers nor the rights of the farmers. On this issue, the MPs and MLAs here also stand in favor of private companies in an undeclared manner.
Affected people gathered at the convention to discuss their problems and find a way-forward.
2. Convention
Against such exploitation of the resources and peoples' rights, the affected communities of Ramgarh, Gopikandar, Kathikund and Shikaripada of Dumka, Sundarphadi-Baorijore of Godda, Litipada of Pakur and Jamtara formed a morcha called, Santhal Pargana Raiyat Adhikar and Displacement Roko Hul Morcha. . to register their movement against displacement and increasing pollution. This Morcha was a result of several meetings and it further took itself unto to hold its first convention at Sido-Kanho Indoor Stadium, Dumka on August 11, 2024, that was attended by approximately 300 affected persons, and several organizations, jansangthans, activists and political persons. Vrinda Karat, former Rajya Sabha member was the chief-guest of the convention. The convention was presided over by a two-member praesidium of Subhash Hembram and Mary Hansda of Adivasi Adhikar Manch. The convention was addressed by famous Gandhian and leader of anti-displacement movement Chintamani Sah, leader of Janwadi movement Prakash Biplab, Pushkar Mahato, Ehtesham Ahmed, Bitiya Manjhi, advocate Shiv Prasad, Om Prakash, Prafulla Linda, Sanatan Dehri, KC Mardi, Santosh Kisku.
Om Prakash is a Jharkhand activist who raises the slogan "Neither Lok Sabha, nor Rajya Sabha, the biggest is Gram Sabha!" He asks where is the development of the people displaced by the dam?
The government has been supporting the capitalists and corporate houses. Especially the BJP government at the centre. People are dying of hunger in the devastation of loot that has been created, they are unable to fight. There is a need to know and understand the constitutional rights given under the PESA Act.
Subhash Hembram, the convener of Adivasi Adhikar Manch, speaking against displacement, asks how did the lease for mining in the fifth schedule area of Santhal Pargana come? This is a violation of the Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act. Pollution and deaths are happening due to the Hywa. People are also opposing the dumping ground.
Subhash Hembram, the founder of Haas Bhasa Jodo, says mining is destroying the enviornment
Subhash Hembram says that the contractors are creating divisions among brothers and families and breaking the society by taking land. Delayed rains due to environmental damage are a threat to farmers' crops. The fight for water, forest and land has to continue.
Community members such as Brainchis Murmu spoke about the village's problem of forceful displacement.
Brainchis Murmu is a college-going student who is concerned about his and his families' future if mining starts. He says that several agricultural lands have not been accounted for. He says “We are small farmers but we are happy and content. What will we do if the mining comes? Will they ensure us employment? Further they have not even consulted us for relocating us. We do not want to go to the village far away from our forests because we depend on it.” He is an affected villager of Kundapahari Gopikandar and says, "this is my home. What will happen to my education? We have to stay in the village. Our demand is that after mining, the government should return the land to the tribals. Even after training, jobs are not being given. "Everything is arbitrary, no one is listening to us... In such a situation, who should we go to... Our humanity is being violated without any fear and in broad daylight."
Chintamani Shah is a warrior against Adani Power Plant, who was born in a farmer's family, then was a science teacher in government service. He protested against ECL, in 2014 he did not allow electricity production for 13 days. He was transferred for this. He says that divisions have been created among the tribals and people are being divided. Samata Judgment says that minerals belong to the people!
Chintamani Shah led a big movement against illegal land grab of Adani power plant in Godda.
Without the consent of the Gram Sabha, land cannot be encroached, then how is it happening? This is a collusion between the government and the companies in which corruption is a big villain. Only tribals can save the environment.
KC Mardi of Jamshedpur says that the Santhal tribes revolted against the British and removed them. Still how are the capitalists ruling over the tribals today? For tribals, land is not a thing to be bought and sold but a community heritage. “What development will you achieve by opening Vanvasi Kalyan Kendra if you take away the forest, water and land.” People are the owners of water, forest and land. It is the government's responsibility to distribute individual and collective forest leases, but it is snatching land by issuing MoUs. Kolhan has uranium, gold, emeralds which should benefit the people, not the capitalists.
Praful Linda talks about mineral plunder. Mineral plunder had already happened in Jharkhand before Jharkhand was formed. Jharkhand agitators had not dreamed of such a Jharkhand. But the central government encouraged privatization due to which tribal land is being sold in violation of many rules.
3. Privatization in Extractive industry
Modi government took a step towards privatization of the coal industry and allocated coal blocks to corporate houses for coal mining through auction of coal blocks. Therefore, land is being acquired by companies. Government sector coal company ECL has also kept pending hundreds of cases of compensation, rehabilitation and employment of farmers for the acquired land. Due to this arbitrariness of ECL management, there is a conflict between the farmers and the management.
Santosh Kisku, an activist from Litipada, Pakur spoke against the corruption in mining
The river Ganga passes through Sahebganj district of Jharkhand. Despite spending crores of rupees in the name of cleaning the Ganga under the Central Government's 'Namami Gange' project, the Ganga has turned into a drain near Sahebganj city. On one hand, the failure of the 'Namami Gange' project and on the other hand, the exploitation of 36 MCM of Ganga water per year i.e. 10 crore liters per day from the port built in a narrow street for Adani's power plant in Godda is a danger signal for the people of this area. Because as the exploitation of Ganga water increases, the water level in this area will go down. The people here will have to face the ill-effects of this. Gautam Adani has a power plant in Godda district, located next to Sahebganj district, from where 100% of the electricity produced is sent to Bangladesh. But the people here continue to face irregular supply of electricity. A big problem here is the transportation of coal after mining it by private coal companies.
Coal is extracted from the open coal mines located at Amra Pada and sent by private companies through large Hiva vehicles to the dumping yards of Dumka and Pakur via road. Hundreds of vehicles pass through the highways while transporting coal, spewing coal dust, which is causing heavy pollution and this once green area has engulfed the villages situated on the roadside with the black dust of coal. The guidelines issued by the Pollution Control Board to transport coal covered and to spray water on the way have remained limited to papers only. Due to this pollution, the environmental balance here is also getting destroyed. The presence of fine particles of coal in the atmosphere is inviting respiratory diseases to the people. Not only this, accidents occur daily on the route of coal transportation and villagers become victims of death. Now forests are being cut for new mining projects. Trees and plants located in 550 hectares of land in Boarijor of Godda district and Gopikandar of Dumka district are being cut, said CPM Politburo member and former MP Vrinda Karat while speaking as the keynote speaker in the convention of Santhal Pargana Raiyat Rights and Stop Displacement Hul. . Morcha held at Sido-Kanhu Indoor Stadium in Dumka today.
Former Vrinda Karat spoke about questioning the economic system of privatization
Vrinda Karat, former MP, praises the Morcha, a collective platform of tribal and non-tribal organizations and people's organizations. She asks how did the situation arise that minerals are being looted? In the last 15 years, the central government, by using its influence, has amended the rules that benefit the tribals. The name of the Gram Sabha has been removed from the Forest Conservation Act. It was a British Raj rule that forest pattas would not be given. This was amended and the Forest Rights Act, 2006 was implemented, which gives forest pattas to tribals. But with the new amendment, the rights of the tribals are being looted again. Tribals are not getting forest pattas.
Rajmahal Extension Project, Hura C Coal Project are new projects that were given to private companies. The minutes of the meeting of the Coal Ministry talk about increasing the profits of private companies, people are not being thought about. After mining, the government will take over that mine and give it to another private company in the name of "development". There is no restriction on selling coal anywhere. There is no check on the company. The government said "the company's profit has to be ensured", people's development was not on the agenda.
By amending the Coal Bearing Areas Act, the minimum basis of compensation was changed. Today they are trying to get PESA and CNT SPT removed, and make it the biggest Coal Bearing Areas Act. This is the robbery of the rights of the tribals.
There is a shortage of water. There is a plan to extract 10 crore liters of water from the Ganga by laying a pipeline (Sahibganj, Adani). Earlier in the RR policy, employment was to be provided on 1 acre of land, but with the new RR amendment, employment is being provided on 2 acres of land. Women are being prevented from collecting minor forest produce. The woman is saying, "It would be better if we all stand together and the police come and shoot us. What is the use of living like this." This is Manuvadi thinking which considers tribals as forest dwellers. There is no discussion or transparency on how and where the DMFT funds are being spent.
Mary Hansda says that the tribals have fought and won. Advocate Shiv Prasad also speaks against the loot caused by political parties.
4. Resolution passed
People raising their hand to show their approval of the resolution
A resolution was passed in the convention and it was announced that a dharna will be organized in front of Commissioner Santhal Pargana in the last week of September. Few demands to be made are:
I. The Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act should be strictly followed.
II. The allocation of new mines should be stopped.
III. The project should be canceled if there is no informed and active approval of the Gram Sabha.
IV. There should be a right to express one's disagreement and the villagers should not be pressured with lawsuits.
V. The destruction of forests should be stopped.
Vi. Forest leases should be allotted to people under the Forest Rights Act, 2006.
Vii. The closed mines should be returned to their owners i.e. the Raiyats after mining.
Viii. Employment should be guaranteed to displaced communities.
Villagers of Mahuldabar, Gopikandar block of Dumka make demands of returning of land to the villagers after mining; granting of compensation for agricultural lands and consultation of gram sabha for all activities.
A handbill telling about the issues and actions was distributed among all participants
5. Reporting by several newspapers about the movement against mining and pollution
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Compiled by Deepti Mary Minj (Researcher, Justice in Mining Network, Bagaicha Social Centre, Ranchi)
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